A Congress party delegation met President Pratibha Patil and requested her to immediately intervene and rein in communal violence in Orissa that has left 16 dead.

A Congress party delegation on Tuesday met President Pratibha Patil and requested her to immediately intervene and rein in communal violence in Orissa that has left 16 dead.

The 11-member delegation led by Minister of State of Urban Development Ajay Maken, who is also in charge of party affairs in Orissa, submitted a memorandum to the president seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into the matter.

“We appealed to the president to immediately intervene in the matter as there is a grave law and order violation in the state,” Maken told reporters in New Delhi.

Holding the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is in alliance with Orissa's ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD), responsible for the ongoing violence, Maken said, “It is BJP's planned conspiracy to make political gains in the Lok Sabha and state elections that are likely to be held together.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Lakshmanananda and four associates were killed in Kandhamal district last month, triggering violence.

“There are many unanswered questions. Why post-mortem was not conducted on Swami Lakshmanananda's body? And why political parties are being stopped from entering Kandhamal for holding peace marches?” Maken asked.

Asked about some political parties seeking a ban on the VHP and Bajrang Dal for their alleged involvement in anti-national activities, Congress media in-charge M Veerappa Moily said, “We want the CBI to investigate the matter and if found guilty they should be banned.”